The Monster
by Pentakill Lux
Summary: Vengeance!Kanima AU. Derek has an epiphany, one he really didn't want to have. Because there's different kinds of monsters, and the Kanima might not be the worst kind. Spoilers for 2.04. Oneshot.


It hits Derek like a ton of bricks. Who the hell made epiphanies sound like a good thing anyway? When ever Derek gets one it's turned his life for the worse.

And now this. This _Kanima_. Derek just knows bits and fragments about what's out there. He was a stupid teen that didn't want to listen to his dad's stories.

"I don't want to be a freak!" Derek yelled at his dad. "I don't care about this shit, don't you get it?" And then he ran off, blabbed his heart out to Kate, told her everything, because she'd listen. She understood what it meant to hate your family, to want out. Or so he thought.

Now there was another epiphany he never wanted.

But the Kanima, he actually remembers hearing about it, but not from his dad. From Laura.

Laura was older and she'd loved listening to their dad when he told stories. And she would, because Laura was smarter. She did well in school, had friends and got really good grades.

All Derek wanted was to play sports, but he couldn't.

"It's too dangerous, Derek." His mom said. "You know we have to be careful, we can't risk exposure."

"But I'll _be careful! Y_ou know I can control it, mom!" Derek had argued, but his mother had just smiled and shaken her head.

"You're strong and fast and agile and frankly a bit of a show off, honey." She kissed Derek on the head and walked over to the door. "One careless mistake, one goal that's not quite possible, one broken bone that's suddenly not broken anymore. The Argents are here, sweetheart, watching our every move." She stopped in the hallway, looking in on Derek as he sat on his bed with his head hung low. "I'm sorry, honey. I know you just want to play. But this is how things are right now."

Yes, that was how things were, but not just then. It was Derek's life in a nutshell. Keep your head down, don't be extraordinary, don't interact too much with them and_ Derek, sweetheart, why don't you smile more? You have such a lovely smile._

And Kate understood, of course she did. She was a monster too.

A monster, but also something so much worse.

Like the Kanima, everything loops back to the Kanima. This monster, this impossible creature that lives only for vengeance. A parasite gnawing away at a victims brain, a victim that shouldn't be alive, should be dead and gone, but the Kanima keeps them alive.

Because nothing keeps you alive like vengeance - Derek Hale of all people would know this.

And that is really the root of his epiphany. Because the Kanima doesn't kill for food, or to stay alive, or _hell_, even for fun. No, the Kanima kills only for vengeance, and not just it's own. It kills those who deserves it, the child molesters and abusers, those who kills for fun, rapists and what ever scum it comes across.

And that Kanima wasn't there in that pool for Erica. It couldn't have cared less about her.

And it wasn't there for Stiles, because that stupid kid doesn't have a bad bone in his body. He's all bravery and loyalty and kindness. He's everything the Kanima lives to keep safe.

No, the Kanima was there for Derek. That's the only explanation he can find. And what does that say about what he's become?

Stiles called the Kanima an abomination and it is, but Derek's the monster. What he's becoming... a man who seduce teens and promise them power, someone who threatens Stiles - off all people - into cooperation.

Stiles doesn't need to be threatened or bribed or even bargained into helping Derek, he proved that tonight.

Derek thought he could make Stiles think that he needed Derek to get out of the pool alive, but Stiles proved him wrong. Stiles kept _him_ alive, kept his head above water for hours. Spend his last energy failing to save them both instead of successfully saving himself.

No, Stiles doesn't need Derek for anything, not like Derek needs Stiles. _Needed_... Need?

But the Kanima is a threat now, you can change your intentions, but you can't change your past and the Kanima will never stop looking at Derek's mistakes, will never stop hunting the Alpha in Derek, the one side of himself he can never run from.

But two can play that game. The hunt is on.


End file.
